The Portland Trail Blazers had a volatile, interesting year in 2021. After nearly a decade of stability, the Blazers experienced seismic shifts that redefined the terrain under their feet, changing the outlook heading into 2022 and beyond. On New Year’s Day we’re going to look back at the most significant events defining the franchise over the last 365 days. These are the stories that made their year.
The fifth most significant story of the year is actually two wrapped into one. After sacrificing a first-round pick and Trevor Ariza to gain Robert Covington in November of 2020, the Blazers went all-in during 2021, making two consolidation trades, culminating their “win now, forget later” trajectory.